Nursing-bottle.



H. C. DUNFEE.

NURSING BOTTLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULYSH, 1914.

1,1759%. atented Mar. 14,1916.

'vided for preventing an strellfllg HOD C. DUNFEE, OF ST. ALBANS, WEST VIRGINIA.

NURSING-BOTTLE.

mariner.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ii'atented Mar. Ml, M91452,

Application filed July 31, 1914. Serial No. 854,318.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that 1, Hon C. DUNI-EE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Albans, in the county of Kanawha and State of Nest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nursing-Bottles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to nursing bottles, and among the objectsin view is to provide a nursing bottle wherein means are prothe babe from eating too rapidly and causing it to feed intermittently, that is, to rest at intervals when feeding, said means comprising a nipple which is so constructed that it will turn down within the receptacle when the milk has been partially removed therefrom in nursing. thus causing the babe to release its hold upon said nipple.

A further object is to provide a nipple which islso constructed as to automatically restore itself to upright position after having been turned down in the receptacle.

A further object is to provide a nipple that is cheaper to manufacture than other nipples inasmuch as it does not have to be made heavy to prevent collapsing as is the case with other nipples.

A further object is to provide a nursing bottle wherein a receptacle or bottle proper having a wide mouth may be used with my improved nipple, thus making vonly two pieces to an outfitwhich prevents the evil oi too rapid feeding.

A further object is to provide a nipple which will cling tighter to the receptacle and be harder to dislodge than nipples as usually constructed,-

A further object is to provide a nipple which, if the hole therein becomes enlarged, will prevent the babe from. eating greedily, no more than approximately one ounce be ing nursed continuously, the babe having torelease the nipple at that point.

A further object is to provide a nipple which will prevent the babe from sucking air, the nipple jerking away before the suc tion becomes so great as to cause the babe to suck, air without getting any milk, in which act it draws air in at the side of the nipple and swallows it.

With the above and other objects in view all of which will appear hereinafter my in vention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter fully described, illustrated. in

it can be seized by the babe.

the drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

ln the drawing: Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved nursing bottle. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

In nursing bottles as heretofore constructed there has been no means provided for the automatic restoration to upright position of the nipple after it has become turned down in the bottle by removal of the milk in nursing, and this has caused considerable trouble and inconvenience in having to restore the nipple to upright position where Also, it has been proposed heretofore to construct a nipple which will not collapse readily within the receptacle during nursing, the nipple for this purpose having a heavy reinforced wall, but this construction is open to the objectrons that it is more expensive to manufacture and by reason of its non-collapsibility it fails to prevent too rapid or over-feeding of this babe, as the latter can retain its hold upon the nipple and nurse until all the contents of the bottle have been withdrawn.

To overcome the above recited and other disadvantages connected with the use of ninples as heretofore constructed 1 have pr ovided an improved device which 1 will now describe in detail.

1 indicates the receptacle of mgr-improved nursing bottle, said receptacle being preferably constructed of glass and having a wide mouth 2. At its open end. or mouth the receptacle is provided vwith an external ii-shaped bead or shoulder 3 with which engages the nipple l. This nipple, which is constructed of rubber, has a thin flexible portion 5 which at its open larger end is pro-' vided with an, internal t -shaped head 6,

shoulder '3 and fit snugly beneath said shoulder. The said portion 5 is also shaped to provide more or less of a V-shaped 7 above the bead, within which,

It will be obto dislodge the nipple, and as the portion 5 pulls at right angles to the head when a pull is put upon the nipple itdraws the bead tighter to the bottle.

By reason ot the above described construction of parts involving the engagement of which latter is adapted to spring over the v gig the head 3 within the groove 7 and the bead 6 -engaging beneath the shoulder 3, as well as the provision of the feather edge on the portion 5, a lockingarrangement is provided whereby it is rendered diflicult to dislodge the nipple from the receptacle.

The portion of the nipple at its inner or smaller end is integral with a small dome or breast 9 which terminates at its smaller end in the nipple proper 10 having a small aperture 11. The portion 5 is extended outwardly with respect to the dome 9. The entire nipple is integral and resembles in its shape the female breast. The inwardly-extending wall 12 of the dome 9, as Well as the vertical wall 13 thereof to about the point 14 is thickened or reinforced as seen at 15, and

this thickening also extends slightly within the nipple proper. Upon the interior of the dome at the smaller end. there is formed an integral roll 17. When the dome is pushed inwardly and turned, the outer portion of the roll is stretched and the inner portion is depressed which snaps the roll back to nor-v mal position. In collapsing the dome the vertical portion is stretched to a larger diameter and when the pressure that turns it is released the dome returns to proper position.

I have found that owing to the described shape and construction of the dome and portion 5 of the nipple, the latter will recede quite a distance and restore itself without the roll being turned, but if the babe nurses sufliciently hard. to cause the dometo turn completely it stretches the roll in the manner hereinbefore stated; I

By reason of the nipple automatically restoring itself I can make it very light in weight which makes it more flexible and more like the mothers breast, all of which renders it more desirable for the babe to use, and furthermore it is inexpensive to produce on account of the small quantity of material required and it can also be made out of the being integral, said dome comprising an upand said inwardly-extending"Wall of the dome adjacent the smaller end of the latter being provided interiorly with an integral roll.

2. A nipple for a nursing bottle comprising a thin flexible portion adapted to engage the bottle, a dome, and a nipple proper, all being integral, said dome comprising an upright wall and an inwardly-extending wall, and said inwardly-extending wall of the dome adjacent the smaller end of the latter being provided interiorly with an integral roll and a groove adjacent said roll.

3. In a nursing bottle, the combination with a receptacle provided with a wide mouth and an external shoulder at its edge surrounding said mouth, of a nipple comprising a nipple proper, a dome, and a flexible part which is integral with the dome and is extended outwardly relatively thereto, the portion of said part adjacent the dome being thin, and said flexible part being provided at its outer portion with a downwardly extending part having an interior bead and a groove adjoining said bead, into which groove the shoulder on the receptacle fits and beneath which shoulder the said bead engages.

4. A nipple for a nursing bottle comprising a dome, a nipple proper, and a flexible part which is integral with the dome and I which flexible part is extended outwardly relatively to the dome, the portion of said part adjacent the dome being thin and said flexible part being provided at its outer portion with a downwardly extending part having an interior bead and a groove adjacent said bead, said thin flexible part being A nipple for a nursing bottle comprising a nipple proper, a dome integral with the latter, a flexible part which is integral with said dome, and said flexible part being best grades of rubber to withstand steril extended outwardlyrelatively to the dome,

In use it will be found that the babe can nurse only about one ounce at a time (unless it releases the nipple in the meantime so it can get air) till the nipple jerks away after which it restores itself to grasping position, and in this way it retards the greedy babe.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A nipple for a nursing bottle comprising a thin flexible portion. adapted to engage the bottle, a dome, and a nipple proper, all

the portidn of said part adjacent the dome being thin, said dome comprising an upright wall and an inwardly extending wall, both of which walls are thickened, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- HOD o. DUNFEE.

Witnesses:

A. SnLnnRs, Mao BALDWIN 

